Bringing You All the Updated News of Buffalo's Past. Time Travel Through Buffalo History as Old News Becomes New Again. (2nd edition)

Sunday, September 5, 2010

LABOR DAY - The Workers Holiday

Buffalo Evening News - September 4th 1900

LABORS MIGHTY HOST WAS OUT

Yesterday's Labor-Day Parade Largest

Ever Seen in Buffalo's Streets

20,000 WORKING MEN WERE IN THE LINE

Niagara Square with it's many diverging thoroughfares, is an ideal place for the formation of a big parade, and as the result of its selection as the starting point of today's big labor demonstration, the confusion usually a feature of such affairs, was reduced to a minimum... In addition to the organizations enumerated in the Sunday News yesterday, there was in the line, three sections of railroad employees, aggregating 1500 in number. With that addition, the total number of men in line was in the neighborhood of 20,000 and fine, stalwart, intelligent men most of them were--men who compose the bone and sinew of the city's great industrial army--men of whom Buffalo is deservedly proud.

MOST BRILLIANT PARADE

Many of the organizations in the big parade were uniformed, and each association had it's banner. In addition most of the organizations carried national flags of various sizes, giving the parade a most brilliant appearance as it moved along with the banners and starry folds of the national emblem waving in the breeze, which the weather bureau had so kindly provided to mitigate the intense heat. Bands without number furnished stirring music, utilizing in the marches they played all of the popular age airs of this and bygone years.

The liveliness of the procession was enhanced by numerous floats, ornamented and embellished in the most wonderful manner imaginable. Main Street and the other thoroughfares through which the procession moved, were gayly decked out in holiday attire. Immense flags floated from the lines stretched across form one building to the other, and countless flags waved from the windows of the buildings along the way.

Buffalo Daily Courier - Editorial - September 4th 1900

Labors Demonstrations

Yesterdays observances of Labor Day were probably the most widespread since the holiday was established. In Buffalo, a special effort was made, and the parade was the largest on record, conservatively estimated at 12,000 men. The rain fortunately did not come until afternoon, and therefore did not interfere with the great spectacle prepared by organized labor for the public eye. The increasing length of these annual parades, shows that Buffalo every year is employing more men, and that these men are joining the Labor Unions, of whose solidarity the procession is so impressive an illustration. Many of the Unions appeared in uniform yesterday, presenting a neat and attractive appearance. Good discipline prevailed in the ranks, and the parade was in every way credible. When our eyes have become more accustomed than of old to the sight of marching soldiers, it is well that we should pay due honor to the armies of peace and industry. It will be an unhappy day for our country when the men who now only wear the badges of their honorable employment shall be forced into the ranks of an unproductive and burdensome army for the conquest of foreign territory.

THE HISTORY OF LABOR DAY

Reminder: The last Historic Buffalo River Tour of the summer is Labor Day September 3rd. Go to Buffaloindustrialheritage.com for information and make your reservations today!

About Me

Hello, I have always been fascinated by Buffalo's history and disappointed at how little of it was being told. Especially in regards to the waterfront. Over the last 25 years I have conducted hundreds of tours for people from all over the world, both on foot and on the water. I am proud to say The Historic Buffalo River Tours have become a classic in this city. I created a museum, meeting place and lecture hall in my family's former restaurant the Harbor Inn on Ohio St. and conducted my walking tours from that location. I now take all of this to a new medium online to reach out further into the world. Hopefully these tours have spurred curiosity and respect about what was here, what is here, and what can be here in the future, and inspired those not afraid to see the possibilities.